Feeler mechanism for looms



March'lO, l9j25 1,529,03'v H. A. DAvls FEHLER IECHANISI FOR LOOKS Filed.April 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet" 1- H. A. DAVIS FEELER MEGHANISM FORLOOMS March l0,

Filed April 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ...dnl

ATTORNEY `Patented Mar. l0, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HARRY A. DAVIS, OF HOPEIDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DRAPER CORPORA-TION, OF HOPEDLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF IYIAINE.

MECI'IANSM FOR LGOIVIS.

Application led April 25p,

lo au) tti/tom et may concern. n f

15e it known that i, nanny Davis, a' citizen ot' the United ratates,yand a resident or ilopedaie, in the countyb Worcester and @tate oriS/iassachusettsnave invented an improvement in reeier niecnainsnis iol"noonis, oit which the ioiiowingl description, in connection withtheaccompanying drawd inns, is a specincation, like characters on; 'thedrawings i'epresentinghke parts.

`this invention relates to. 1`eeler mecha `nisins tor looms whereby theoperative condition oiA the loom is changol iroin time to tinie,as7rorinstance replenishment or lining. .y v

iceier looms equipped with intermittent ifceier mechanisms4 provide thatthe roeier or said mechanisms shall have periodsy or' activity andperiods ot' inactivityV during weaving, with the same supply or i'ilnn`in the shuttle, so that the recurring contact oi the iilling by' theeelei' is avoided tor the mostpart. Since the vclninacter oi the lininginthe shuttle may be changed troni time to time in the production otdiiierent characters or kinds of cloth,` it becomes dc- `sii-able toprovide in the intermittent .teoier mechanism a condition that willpermit tho active periods oi' the eeler to be varied iii their durationand in accordance with the character oi' the iilling employed. @ne otthe objects oit' thepresent invention, there-- tore, isto provide aeeler mechanism oi' the intermittent type wherein provision is made forenabling the yactive periods ofthe ifeelcr to be varied in theirduration inorder tha. the teeler may properly function in connec-- tionwith the different kinds and characters ci" tlie'iilling that maybe`employed', and another 'feature of the present invention consists inmeans for readily varying both the periods of activity and inactivityYot .L ileeler.

YAWhen Weaving with line filling, the time required ior the depletion ofthe filling); to a predetermined point is greater than when4 weavingwith filling of a coarser kind, consequently when weaving with fineiilling it not necessary that the feeler shall be re-l leased to itsperiods of activity as frequentvlv as when weaving with eoars'er fillingor filling which is more rapidly depleted from the filling carrier, Thepresent invention i924. serial No. 708,907.

` s therefore provides a eeler mechanism or the intermittent type which,may be readn adapted'for the weaving or' various kinds of -hllingy inthefsame loom.

lhe invention and new combination of parts will best be made clear fromthe foilowing description and the' accompanying drawings of onev goodform thereof,A it being understood that the invention is not necessarilyrestricted to the details, which may be changed.

1n the drawings: o

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the portions of a loom at the eelersidethereoi',

showing the present inventionassociated therewith o Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the ieeler mechanism embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of lig.` 2; and l Fig. lis a planView. o t The loom trame 1 has mounted thereon the transverse sha-ft 2which may be apy* t propriately supported in bearing brackets 3, one ofwhich -is secured toeach side of the, loom. Secured lto the shaft 2 andextending upwardly therefrom is an arm =l to `which is pivoted at 5 therearwardly eX- tending member 6 having pivotally assoelated therewith,as at 7, a rearwardly extending arn'i 8 which is adapted from time .totime to be 'engaged by the operating` member 9 which may beappropriately forni-- ed as a part of or connected' to the cani` 'totlower The arm 8 has secured thereto a finger 10, in the present instancewhich overhoone arm 11 of a bell crank pivoted at 12 fto a support 13connected to the loom traine, -The other arm 14 of the bell crank conMblock 24 mounted in a bracket 25 connected to the feeler stand, andinterposed between the swivel block 24 and the support or bridge 26secured to the feeler a spring 27 normally tending to move the feel'erto its rearward feeling position. A cap plate 28 is mounted on the rearbearing 19 and forms a convenient means for confining the slide 2O inits guideway, and through an opening in the slide 2O the feeler 22extends. The construction thus far described may be substantially asthat shown and described in the patent to Edward S. Stimpson, Serial No.1,309,226, dated July e, 1919.

The present invention is shown as associated with a feeler of theinclined type but it is to be understood that the invention is notrestricted thereto but may be advantageously employed in connection withany usual type of'feeler which will function to call vthe change orreplenishment of filling when the filling in the shuttle has becomesubstantially exhausted.`

It has not been deemed necessary herein to show and describe themechanism for replenishing the filling, since such mechanism is now wellunderstood, and the details thereof form no essential part of thepresent invention.

The lay 29v is provided with the usual shuttle box 8O having an opening31 in its front wall with which registers the opening 32 in the wall ofthe shuttle 33 when the latter is in the box at the feel'er side of theloom. The Shuttle 83 carries the usual filling carrier or bobbin 34 onwhich the filling 35 is wound.

Atthe side of-the feeler stand, as shown, is a feeler withdrawing deviceor detent which is adapted to withdraw the feeler frontwardly beyond thereach of' the filling on detecting beats wheny the feeler is in itsinoperative or inactive position. In the present instance, the feelervstand has extending downwardly therefrom the bracket 36 on which' ispivotally mounted at 37 a rocker arm 88, the upper end por-tion of whichis connected at 39to the detent-40; Y

The toothed end portion of the detent 40 may be variously contrived, butin the present instance the engaging end 41 of the I detent is formedseparately from the detent itself and has a threaded stem 42 whichpasses through lugs 43, 44 of the detent, and between such lugs there isa thumb nut 45 whereby the active end 41 of the detent may be adjustedinto cooperative relation with a part carried by the feeler forwithdrawing the feeler to a frontward po-` sition. In the resentinstance, the collar or bridge 26 ofthe feelery has a sideportion 46formed as an inclined tooth, the rear edge portion of which .is adaptedto engage a tooth formed on the active endk of the detent when thefeeler is moved frontwardly lly a working supply of filling on adetecting eat.

The active end 41 of the detent is provided with two teeth 4T, 48,either one of which may, under certain conditions, be engaged by thepart 46 carried by the feeler. Vhen the filling opposite the feeler isbeing withdrawn from the filling carrier or bobbin, the feeler may notbe moved frontwardly so far as when the filling is being withdrawn fromnear the end of the bobbin, and in such cases the feeler will be not b-ymoved frontwardly so far as to engage the front tooth 48 of the detentbut will engage the tooth 4T. In either case, however, thel detent whenengaged with the feeler will be actuated to move the feeler to aposition beyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats.

Mounted on the bracket 36 extendingl from the feeler stand is a stud ordead shaft 49 on which is mounted the toothed wheel or ratchet 50, theteeth of which are adapted to be engaged by a pawl 51 carried by arocking arm 52 which may be conveniently mounted for rocking movement onthe stud or deadY shaft 49. The end portion of the arm 52 is providedwith a slot 54.

Mounted on the stud 49* at one side of the dead shaft is the arm whichis likewise provided with a slot 5G, and between the two arms andpassing through the slots 54 and 5G thereof is an adjustable connector`5'1"" which is shown in the present instance as a threaded bolt whichmay be clamped in position in the slots of' the arms by means of nuts orother equivalent means 58, the construction being such that should thearm 55 be oscillated or rocked, its rocking movement will betransmittedto the rocking `arm 52, and the amplitude of suoli rockingmovement may be varied by adjusting the connector 57 in the slots of thetwo arms as indicated in Fig. 1. in the present instance of' theinvention, the arm 55 is actuated from the lay through a strap 59connected at 60 to the lower end of the arm 55 and at its opposite end(3l to an arm 62- which may be secured to the lay through theintervention of a bracket 61:3. The pawl 5l, is normally under theinfluence of a light spr-ing 64 tending to hold the pawl in operativ-erelation with the teeth of the ratchet.

Mounted on the fixed bracket 65. Fig. 2. which may be coiwenientlysecured toV the dead shaft 49 is a holding pawl G6 normally held inlocking engagement with the ratchety teeth by a spring 66. The backwardmovement of the lay acts through the strap 59 to give the pawl 51 itsactive stroke, and sprin l 52* returns the pawl through its idle stroketo its original set position defined by a stop or pin 53*.

Secured to` or formed as a part of the ratchet wheel 50 is a trip lug'y69 which may be conveniently forme on a disk 7() .-secured to or formedas a part of the ratchet wheel 50. f

Adjustably connected to the disk 7 0 and consequently to the ratchetwheel is the detent controlling cam 71 having a cut-out or recessedportion 72, best shown in Fig. 2, and upon the cam 71 travels the roller73 carried by the arm 38. vWhen the roller 73 is traveling along themain periphery of the cam 71, the detent will be held in front.- wardposition, andwhen the recess 72 of the cam comes opposite the roller 73during` the step by step movement of the ratchet, the detent will moveto a rearward position under the stress of a spring 67, one end beingconnected to the fixed arm G8 and the other to the detent, as shown.

From the construction described it will be apparent that the trip lug 69and the cam will be moved step by step through the action of theratchet, and when the trip lug 69 rises beneath the detent it engages alug 74 to thereby lift the detent -from holding engagement with thefeeler,

whereupon the feeler is free to move to its feeling position undercontrol of the feeler spring 27. lVhenthe depressed portion 72 of thecanil presents itself to the roller 73, the detent will'be moved to itsrearward position, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that should the feeler bemoved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on avdetecting beat, itwill be engaged by the active end of the detent and helduntil as theroller 73 moves out of the depression 72 the detent will withdraw thefeeler further 'frontwardly beyond the reach of the filling on detectingbeats. o

The length of the periods of activity of the f'eeler depend upon therelation of the trip lug 69 to the cam 71 in theirsequential order ofoperation, and in order to enable the feeler to have longer or shorterperiods of activity in accordance with the character of fillingbeingemployed, the camf'l is secured adjustably to the ratchet, so that thesequential order of operation ofthe trip lug and the cam may be alteredor arranged to provide for longer `or shorter periods of' activity ofthe feeler.

In the present instance, the cam 71, best shown by Fig. 2, is providedwith a slot 75 which is made concentric with the good form of theinvention, it will be ap# parent that the detent controlling cam 7l maybe adjusted, relative to the trip lug Gf) so that'the withdrawing actionof the cam 71 may take place and withdraw the feeler to its inoperativeposition after one, twc, three or any number of detecting beatsfollowing lthe release of the feeler to its feeling position,

It Will also be apparent that owing to the varied amplitude of movementthat may bc imparted to the active pawl 51, the frequency of the activeperiods of the feeler may be changed to agree with the character of thefilling employed. While the mechanical detailsfor carrying the presentinvention into effectare simple and effective, but within the true scopeof the invention, it is to be understood that the details may be varied.

When weaving with fine filling, the frequency of the release of thefeeler to its periods of activity may be made to occur lat longerintervals than when weaving with a coarser filling, and where thefilling turrier is more rapidly depleted the parts may beso arrangedthat the feeler may he re" leased to its periods of activity morefrequently in accordance with the requirements of the particular fillingbeing used Should the feeler be in its feeling posi-- tion on adetecting beat, as indicated in Fig. 1, and be moved frontwardly by aworking supply of filling, it will be engaged by the detent provided thedetent has been perrmitted to move to its rearward engaging position bythe recess 7 2 of the cam, and on movement of the cam, the detent willwithe draw the feeler to a position beyond the reachiof the filling.Should the feeler, how ever, meet the filling at a time when thatopposite the feeler is approaching a condition of substantialexhaustion, it will not he moved far enough to be engaged by the detentand will remain in action until, when the filling is substantiallyexhausted.. replenishment of filling will be called.

lWhat is claimed is:

1. In a. feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, meansfor moving` the feeler to an inoperative position beyond the reach ofthe filling on detecting beats, a trip for releasing the feeler atintervals that it may have periods of activity and inactivity duringweaving with the same supply of filling in thel shuttle, and means forchanging the relation between the feeler moving means and feeler tripthat the periods of' activity of the feelermay be made longer orshorter.

2. In a feeler mechanismforlooms, the combination of a feeler, means formoving the feeler to an inoperative position beyond the reach of thefilling on detecting beats, a ytrip for releasing the feeler atintervals that itmay have periods of actiity and inactivity duringWeaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle, a commonactuator for the said means and trip, and

means for varying the relation of the said means and trip that thefeeler may have longer or shorter periods of activity.

3. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler to detect the condition of the iilling in the shuttle and effectreplenishment When the lilling is substantially exhausted, means forholding the feeler in an inoperative position during its periods ofinact-ivity, mechanism for freeing` the feeler from said holding meansat intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivityduring Weaving with the same supply of lilling in the shuttle, and meansfor making the active periods of the feeler longer or shorter at willrelative to the inactive periods that the feeler may repeat itsdetecting funi-tion any desired number of times during its activeperiods.

In an intermittent feeler mechanism Afor looms, the combination of afeeler, a device to hold the feeler in a frontward ref-- tractedposition, a trip for freeing` the feelcr at intervals that the feelermay have periods of activity and inactivity during W aving with the samesuppl)7 of filling in the shuttle, an actuator for operating the trip,and means for varying' the relation between the holding` device and tripthat the feeler may have longer or shorter periods of activity.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler having`periods of activity and inactivity With respect to the filling in theshuttle, means to engage the feeler and hold it in retracted position,means acting at .intervals to release the feeler that it may move tofeeling position, means acting through the feeler engaging means towithdraw the feeler to a position beyond the reach of the filling, andconnections between the feeler releasing means and feeler witlulraivingmeans for varying the duration of the periods of activity of the feeler.

6. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler having periods of activity and inactivity With the same supplyoftilling in the shuttle, means for holding the feeler in a positionbeyond the reach of the filling during its period of inactivity, a` tripfor freeing the feeler to its periods of activity, and means for varyingthe duration of the periods of fceler activity relative to the periodsof inactivity and the frequency of their occurrence.

T. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler, a detent for moving the feeler into an inoperative positionbeyond the reach of the filling on detecting beats, a trip for trippingthe detent at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity andinactivity during weaving with the saine supply of filling in theshuttle, and a stcp-by-step device actuated from the lay for moving andtripping the detent.

S. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms the combination of afeeler, a deteni and an actuating device therefor to withdrau` thefeeler to an inoperative position beyond the reach of the filling ondctecting` beats, a trip for freeing the feeier at intervals that it mayhave periods of activity and inactivity With the same supply of tiltingin the shuttle, means for cluinging the relation of the actuating deviceand trig that the feeler may have longer cr shorter periods of activity.

U. In an iniermittent feeler mechanisn'i for loon'is, the combination ofa feeler, means foil moving the fceler to a frontivard inoperativeposition and holding it for periods of inactivity, a trip for freeingthe feeler from said means at intervals, and n'ieans for changing theoperative relation between said means and lrip that the active periodsof the feeler may be made longer or shorter.

It). An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, afeeler,

detent for holding the feeler in an inoperative position for periods oftime and freeing it at intervals that it may have periods of activityand inactivity during uf'eaving with the same supply of filling in theshuttle, controlling means for the detent including a ratchet Wheel, apaivl, an arm carrying the pawl, an actuator for said arm, andconnections between the arm and actuator for varying the active strokeof the pau/l and the frequency of active periods of the feeler.

ll. An intermittent feeler mechanism 'tor looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler, a` detent for controllingthe feeler, a trip forfreeingr the feeler from the detent, a cam for moving the detentfrontu'ardly to place the feeler beyond the reach of the. filling, andmeans for adjusting the relation of the cam and trip.

l2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, adetent for controlling the position of the feeler, a trip for freeingthe feeler from the detent at intervals that the feeler may have periodsof activity and inactivity during Weaving,r With the same supply offilling in the shuttle, means acting through the detent to move thefeeler to a frontward inactive position, and devices between said meansand trip for changing their relation that the feeler may remain inperformance of its feeling function for a number of detecting beatsduring its active periods.

13. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, adetent for engaging a part connected to the feeler, mea-ns for movingthe detent frontwardly, a trip for freeing the feeler from the detent atintervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inmitivityduring weaving with the same supply ot filling' in the shuttle.

i means for changing the intervals of operation of said means and tripthat the periods of activity oit the feeler may be made longer orshorter. f

llt. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a eeler, adetent for engaging a part connectedto the feeler, means for moving thedetent trontuf'ardly, a trip for freeing the teeler from the detent atintervals that the teelcr may have periods of activity and inactivityduring Weaving With the same supply of filling in the shuttle, means forchanging the intervals oi operation of said means and trip that theperiods oit' activity of the feeler may be made longer or shorter, andmeans tor changing the frequency of the active periods ot the feeler.

15. In a feeler mechanism l'or looms, the combination of a feeleig adetent 'for deter mining the position of the feeler, and controllingmeans for the detent comprising a cam for moving the detent and feelerfrontivardly,`a trip for freeing the eeler from the detont at intervals,means for ad* justing the relative positions of the cam and trip, and aratchet operated mechanism 'for actuating the cam and trip in their adjusted relation.

16. In a 'eeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, adetent for controlling the feeler that it may have periods ot activityand inactivity during Weaving with the same supply of filling-in theshuttle, a ratchet mechanism for controlling the detent comprising aratchet Wheel, a rocking arm carrying a paWl at. one end, a secondrocking arm 'constituting an actuator for the pavvl carrying arm,connections between the second rocking arm and the lay, and adjustableconnections 4between the tWo arms that the amplitude of movement of thepawl carrying arm may loe changed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY A, DAVIS-`

